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Have you ever wished that life came with a user manual?

Maybe youve wanted tocut stress in your life, exercise more, or change your diet.

Or maybe you want to make a career shift or get into (or out of) a relationship.

man looking over city

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Now, think about why you havent made those changes yet.

Changing your life is often easier dreamed than done.

Having a plan also makes it more likely that the life changes you want to make will stick.

Have you got a goal (or two or three!)

Read on to learnhow to plan your lifein seven steps.

It can be challenging and overwhelming to even know where to start.

Keeping a journal can help you explore the different parts of your life and identify sources of stress.

Step 2: List Your Values

Think about what your values.

How are those areas of life currently working for you and helping you?

You might be including activities in your life that you dont value without even realizing it.

Pay attention to how you express your values through your behaviors.

When you’ve got a picture in your mind, work backward.

Click below to listen now.

Find the blocks in the road, then get ready to start tearing them down.

Go back to your list.

Now it’s time to make some cuts!

Do these things drain you rather than make you feel energized and motivated?

Thats where to start crossing items off your list.

It can help to think about every “drain” as a trade-off.

When you see that you have tangible choices, changes are easier to make.

Of course, there will be things youwishyou could cut out, but you cant.

And thats OKthats life!

When you have some supportive structures in place, you wont have to supply all of your own momentum.

If you want to spend more time with your partner, put a regular date night on your calendar.

If you feel like your schedule is full of to-do lists and appointments, use that to your advantage!

What youthinkare your needs, values, and goals might actually be the other persons.

Instead of immediately saying yes, try: Thank you for thinking of me!

Can I think about it and get back to you?

Asking forand acceptinghelp from others will help you stay motivated and on track.

Ask yourself what you better make your plans happen and what you better do to confirm they stick.

Just because youve decided to start making a plan doesnt mean the work is done.

Check in with yourself regularly to confirm youre moving in the direction that you want to go in.

Being able to refocus is the secret to making life changes last.